Things to do in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France: The Best History Museums

The collections in this new-style museum are enhanced by film projections, sounds, games testing your sense of smell and interactive experiments. The visitor is invited to unravel the mystery of creating cognac, as well as to understand the industrial, economic and social history of the region and to enjoy what is today a technological adventure.

The author of Cyrano de Bergerac created a sumptuous theatrical decor for his dream home. The charming French and English gardens delight the visitor with their romantic walks. A veritable «poem in stone and vegetation», the Villa Arnaga has to be explored or reexplored :In 2014, you'll have the opportunity to admire the renewed gardens similar to the ones imagined by Edmond Rostand with their box wood embroideries, their topiary bushes, their plant vases, their mirror like pools. The "poets' corner " will surprise you with its lattice work. In a word a typical French garden with its perfectly geometrical design ! Open daily from April 1 to November 1. From April to June and September to November : 9:30 to 12:30 and 14h to 18h . In July and August : 10h -19h . In 2020, due to the Covid epidemic, our opening hours are modified. Please visit our website : arnaga.com

Indian, Chinese, Tibetan, Nepalese collections with more than 1,000 objects including more than 100 masterpieces on two levels.

Set in the heart of the city, the Musée d'Aquitaine retraces the history of the region, from prehistory through to the present day. The museum exposes rich regional and extra-european collections of archeology, history and ethnography. This "Museum of civilization" presents each years several temporary exhibitions about history and cultures of the world. It offers to public a varied cultural programming: lectures, screenings, round tables, guided tours, concerts, meetings with foreign communities, educational workshops... Easily accessible from the tram B (stop Musée d'Aquitaine) or A (stop City Hall / Hôtel de Ville).

In the house of Jeanne d'Albret, this museum presents an important collection of objects and documents retracing the history of protestantism in Bearn from the Reformation to the begining of the twentieth century.

Cet établissement culturel de la Ville de Limoges illustre les valeurs citoyennes et solidaires portées par la Résistance pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Dédié à tous ceux qui se sont sacrifiés pour défendre les valeurs fondamentales de la République, il a pour vocation de faire vivre la mémoire en offrant un lieu pédagogique et de diffusion de l’information, notamment pour le jeune public. Il propose sur 1400 m2 un parcours muséographique retraçant rigoureusement les faits historiques de la Seconde Guerre mondiale et particulièrement la Résistance, l’occupation et la déportation en Haute-Vienne.

UNIQUE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE Visit a unique museum in France which is protecting a vast gallo-roman house vestiges, the Vésone Domus. Opened since 2003, in the heart of archaeological and plants park, Vesunna offers a 3000 m2 itinerary of permanent presentation of antique Perigueux. AN ARCHITECTURE BY JEAN NOUVEL Jean Nouvel the building project architect has completed a great number of works throughout the world. He is in particular the architect of the Quai Branly museum in Paris. A large umbrella, which is protecting the antic walls, floats above it. From the mezzanines, an impressive view opens onto the vestiges. Further on, the high glass walls reveal the landscaped gardens of the Vesone Tower and the IVth century rampart vestiges. The building is like a window onto the past which is buried under the modern city.